TVSquad

Even before I caught Twilight on the big screen, I was comparing it to Roswell, the great teen sci-fi/romance series that aired on The WB (and later The CW UPN) from 1999-2002. The Twilight ads and trailers seemed to tell the same story Roswell told more than nine years ago: A sensitive girl is saved by a supernatural hunk who makes it his mission to protect her at all costs. The two fall in love, but the relationship is complicated by his other-worldly circumstances.

It's not exactly the most original story in the world. This sort of thing goes back to Bram Stoker's Dracula, (and probably further back than that). Still, after watching Twilight, I was a bit shocked by its similarities to Roswell, especially since Roswell wasn't half as popular as Twilight. I haven't read the Twilight or Roswell book series, so I can't tell you if the similarities persist in print (but my friend Stephanie can). I can only compare the big screen and TV versions.

From major plot points to character motivations, these two franchises have a lot in common, but one clearly stands above the other. Let's compare, and you'll see what I mean:

(S01E07) This tale was penned by newcomer Kelly Kennemer; his only prior writing credit was the acclaimed film Music Within. It was directed by America Psycho and The Notorious Bettie Page's Mary Harron. The plot is like Superman and Lois Lane moving into suburban hell to start a family. I know the general plotline of a couple moving into an idyllic community that turns out to be anything but has been done before, but I'm not thinking of any specific examples (I expect you'll fill me in with your comments). The Stepford Wives has the same tone, but obviously there are some distinctive differences. Here, there were some clever moments to be sure, but the suspension of disbelief was even greater for this extended story than in most horror stories.

The USA network has ordered two cast contingent pilots. First, To Love And Die In L.A. stars Shiri Appleby (Roswell, Six Degrees) as a young woman with abandonment issues. She convinces herself that the solution to her problems is tracking down the father she never knew. Things take a drastic turn when she finds him, only to discover that he is a hit-man. It does give her some clues about her relationship issues, and may open up the door to a new career.

Burn Notice takes us inside the world of a fired spy. Jeffrey Donovan (Touching Evil, Monk) stars as Michael Weston. While on a mission, Michael gets the news that he has been fired, a "burn notice", and is now untouchable. Having no idea who or what caused this, he sets out to find the truth. With no job, and none of his normal contacts at his disposal, he takes work helping those that the system can't, or won't, to fund his personal investigation. It's very one man A-Team sounding.